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by CynS14 on February 17th, 2005

CynS14

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Why is a circumcised lamb called a 'Carmel'?

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  • by notmrjohn on March 7th, 2006

    notmrjohn

    That's sort of like asking why is a dog called a dog.
    But in this case I think the answer is that a circumcised lamb is not called a carmel.
    I've been intrigued by this question and the following one " Why would one circumcise lamb?
    " ( http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/16023 ) ever since I first saw them months ago. I have actually put in a few hours of research on it, both on and off line. I think the questions were inspired by another question "What is the difference, if there is any, between carmel and caramel? " ( http://www.answerbag.com/q_view.php/9985 ) and the answer "Carmel is circumcised lamb." I even located a cooking forum from years ago where some one responded to someone else's misspelling of 'caramel' by also claiming "Carmel is circumcised lamb."
    It seems that it can all be traced to a sites that are lists of Biblical names and meanings which all seem to be direct plagerisms of each other or some uncited original. Page after page of name after name, all with exactly the same punctuation, spellings, mispunctuation, and misspellings.( Many of the sites are of the "What to name the baby" type, and doncha know that would be a good name to give the little lamb?) Some but not all of those sites say they are taken from Hitchock's Bible Names Dictionary, which was originally part of Hitchcock's New and Complete Analysis of the Holy Bible, by Roswell D. Hitchcock, New York: A. J. Johnson, 1874, c1869. I do not know which site is the earliest and the source for the 'copy and paste' plagerism. The meaning seems to be originally Hitchcock's, "Carmel, circumcised lamb; harvest; full of ears of corn" ( http://www.site-berea.com/D/hbnd/indexc.html ) At least one site gives a Biblical source for the name, Christian Baby Girl Names at http://christianity.about.com/od/christianbabygirlnames/a/babygirlnames.htm , says "Carmel (Hebrew) - Joshua 12:22 - circumcised lamb; harvest; full of ears of corn." But Joshua 12:22 only mentions "The king of Jokneam in Carmel," who was one of the kings that Joshua 'smote.' Odd that a Christian name would be Hebrew, I guess the Jokneam is on them, some sites give the name for only girls, others for boys and some for both.
    Other lists of names, which seem to be from other sources do not give the meaning of "circumcised lamb. " The simplest Name and Meaning I found is ' a female given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “garden.” ' (http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/Carmel ) In fact the word is the name of a place Carmel or Karmel, and that is the only definition I found in at least 20 dictionaries, including Biblical ones. Carmel was and is a hill and a town in Palestine. Because of its height and location on the Mediterranean Sea, it gets ample rainfall and is a fertile area. The name has roots in the Hebrew from 'kerem' ; a planted field (garden, orchard, vineyard or park); by implication, garden produce:--full (green) ears (of corn), fruitful field (place), plentiful (field). http://www.sacrednamebible.com/kjvstrongs/STRHEB37.htm ('Fruitful garden is a slightly better name for a girl than corn ear is for a boy), There are some modern places called Carmel and variations on it, named by local boosters emphasizing the" garden like" area and "bountiful harvests" abounding there.
    I think that ol' Hitchcock got hisself confused with some similar sounding words, a couple I found
    kar- lamb,
    karath- covenant,i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces. (The circumcision is sign of the covenant and certainly involves some flesh cutting, I dunno 'bout the passing between part.) I'm just glad I wasn't sired and named by Roswell Hitchcock, "This is my son, we named him Uncircumcised Lamb cause he was born with his ears full of corn." Oh, man, me and Alfred would take the next UFO out of town.

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